Mayday: Final Fantasy VII
by shadowno
Summary: After a Helicopter crash, an injured Sephiroth is left in the hands of Cloud while the others go off in an attempt to find rescue.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I'm doing a co-op. First in a long time, but hopefully that will motivate me to actually finish something for once. Unlike my partner, ****The Phantom Dragon, I probably will most likely abandon everything else I'm working on D: Oh well, without further ado, a horrible attempt at angst saved only by a good friend of mine, I give you...**

Mayday

Final Fantasy 7

Chapter 1

Blurs and creeping shadow. That's all Sephiroth could make out through the fog in his head as his eyes slowly opened, the lids heavy like someone had traded them for Angeal's gym weights . Gradually his perception of the world crawled to the range of semi-focused as his senses came back online. His first greeting was smudgy grey clouds of billowing smoke and roaring flames. Then it hit him. Pain, the kind that crushed the breath out of your chest and tried to kill you from the sheer immensity of it.

Unbidden, a strangled half-scream-half-gasp ripped itself from uncaring lips as his entire being was flooded in pure, white hot agony. Reflex and training caught up a beat later, telling him to push back against the firestorm in his mind until he regained enough semblance of control to gulp down one measured lungful, not scream again on its way out, then another, until he got a semi-regular intake reestablished.

Now more focused, despite the intense baritone throb in his skull, he looked down for the original source of discomfort and was shocked at what he found. First and closer to his eyes, an alarmingly large metallic shard stood embedded in his gut. Somewhat further down, he could also see that his leg was at an extremely awkward angle. While there were a number of smaller gashes and bruises to add to the symphony of pain now known as his body these two stood out as the most prominent problems.

"Not good." Sephiroth told himself, letting his head fall back onto the sand beneath him.

"SEPHIROTHHHHH!" Sephiroth jerked involuntarily at the wild scream that cut through the roar of blood in his ears, or was that the flames? Who cared, the sudden movement threw open the door for a fresh wave of assault on his raw nerves that sent black spots dancing over his vision till he almost blacked out again. Gritting his teeth against the sensory assault he turned his head in the direction the offending noise had come from, only to see one of the Shinra infantrymen literally bouncing towards him wildly across the smoldering wreckage that semi-blurred memory informed him used to be a helicopter. "SEPHIIIIROTHHHHHH!" The IM shrieked again, as it drew near him.

"Oh god." Sephiroth managed to groan out as the franticly scrambling IM slid to his knees, almost crashing into the General and kicking up a massive sand cloud.

"THANK GOD YOU'RE ALIIIIIIIIVE!" The IM squealed, before peeling off his helmet. Of course it's Cloud, Sephiroth thought to himself. It's always Cloud.

"Oh god!" Cloud gasped, eying the injuries that Sephiroth had sustained. "Ohgodohgodoh GOD! You're hurt."

"No shit, what happened?" Sephiroth demanded, trying to sit up but failing miserably after barely a second of pressure on his injured torso. Ok, so moving was really not in the good idea, much less possibilities, category right now.

"I'll tell you later." Cloud said, moving faster than Sephiroth's still sludgy reflexes could keep up with. When he finally slowed enough for Sephiroth to see what that damn whirlwind had been he saw the contents of a standard issue emergency kit spilled out on the sand next to him and a several inch thick layer of gauze piled high over where the offending metal piece protruded from his stomach.

Sephiroth couldn't help gawping at the mountain of fabric. Surely the little blond's medical skills couldn't be that horrible? A sudden image of himself wrapped head-to-toe like a mummy intruded on that idea. If he wasn't hurting like he did that picture might have almost tempted him to smile at the stupidity of the idea.

"What happened to the rest of the squad?" Sephiroth asked, eyeing Cloud wearily as the IM went to work patching his wounds. He vaguely wondered if it wouldn't be better to leave his injuries be rather than risk the possibility of further damage under the hyper blond's loving care.  
Cloud ignored the question as he pulled up a clump of gauze to inspect the wound beneath. Even injured with his brain trying to crush itself the General quickly grew impatient at the lack of response to his demand for answers.

"Cadet Strife…!" At least he could still manage to sound authoritative despite feeling anything but. And the way the little cadet was so enthusiastically poking at his injury was not doing his condition any favors.

"Brace yourself." Cloud said.

"What? Why?" Sephiroth asked, ignoring the lack of formal respect for his rank in favor of suddenly being concerned at the dead calm in the other's tone.

Without warning a massive pain ripped through his abdomen as Cloud yanked out the offending shard. Sephiroth's vision shattered under the fresh wave of liquid fire that flooded his being and slammed into his head. His last sight of Cloud showed the cadet holding the offending material, a slight gleam in his eyes.

He's not smirking is he? Sephiroth asked himself, before the darkness took him.


	2. Chapter 1 (alt)

**(A/N) Ok, change of plans. Instead of doing a co-op fic persay, my partner and eye will be doing kind of a versus fic or what not. I'm honestly still confused on how it goes. We're both going to write the same story, however we'll be doing different takes on it. Mine will be 90% comedy 10% angst, her's will be the opposite. If you want to read her version, you can find it here: s/9159398/1/Mayday**

Chapter 1 (alt)

Blurs and creeping shadow.  
That's all Sephiroth could make out through the fog in his head as his eyes slowly opened, the lids heavy like someone had traded them for Angeal's gym weights . Gradually his perception of the world crawled back to the land of the living as his senses came back online. His first greeting was smudgy grey clouds of billowing smoke and roaring flames. Then it hit him.  
Pain.  
Pain, the kind that played merry hell with your mind while cheerfully screwing your nerves over. Unbidden, a strangled half-scream-half-gasp ripped itself from uncaring lips as his entire being was flooded in pure, white hot agony. Reflex and training caught up a beat later, telling him to push back against the firestorm in his mind until he regained enough semblance of control to gulp down one measured lungful and no screech it out, then another, until he got a semi-regular intake reestablished.  
Now more focused, despite the intense baritone throb in his skull, he looked down for the original source of discomfort and was shocked at what he found.  
First and closer to his eyes, an alarmingly large metallic shard stood embedded in his gut. Somewhat further down, he could also see that his leg was at an extremely awkward angle. While there were a number of smaller gashes and bruises to add to the symphony of pain now known as his body these two stood out as the most prominent problems. "Not good." Sephiroth told himself, letting his head fall back onto the sand beneath him.  
"SEPHIROTHHHHH!" Sephiroth jerked involuntarily at the wild scream that cut through the roar of blood in his ears, or was that the flames? Who cared, the sudden movement threw open the door for a fresh wave of assault on his raw nerves that sent black spots dancing over his vision till he almost blacked out again. Gritting his teeth against the sensory assault he turned his head in the direction the offending noise had come from, only to see one of the Shinra infantrymen literally bouncing towards him wildly across the smoldering wreckage that semi-blurred memory informed him used to be a helicopter.  
"SEPHIIIIROTHHHHHH!" The IM shrieked again, as it drew near him.  
"Oh god." Sephiroth managed to groan out as the franticly scrambling IM slid to his knees, almost crashing into the General and kicking up a massive sand cloud.  
"THANK GOD YOU'RE ALIIIIIIIIVE!" The IM squealed, before peeling off his helmet. Of course it's Cloud, Sephiroth thought to himself. It's always Cloud.  
"Oh dear!" Cloud gasped, eying the injuries that Sephiroth had sustained. "Oh dear oh dear oh dear! You're hurt."  
"No shit, what happened?" Sephiroth demanded, trying to sit up but failing miserably after barely a second of pressure on his injured torso. Ok, so moving was really not in the good idea, much less possibilities, category right now.  
"I'll tell you later." Cloud said, suddenly whipping into a whirlwind. When he stopped, Sephiroth found himself wrapped up head to toe in gauze. All that could be left to identify the general was the pair of distinct slit-pupil eyes that were now dramatically enlarged from panic.  
"Mph mh m m mooming?" Sephiroth tried to demand around the thick gauze restricting his ability to communicate comprehensibly, eying Cloud wearily as the Infantryman as he went to work patching his wounds.  
"Brace yourself." Cloud said  
"Mph?" Sephiroth asked, by now willing to acknowledge the rising wave of fear over his current situation. Clearly the boy had no idea what he was doing.  
Suddenly, Sephiroth felt a massive pain in his stomach as Cloud yanked out the shard of metal. Sephiroth's vision immediately began to fade, his last sight of Cloud, a slight gleam in his eyes.  
He's not smirking is he? Sephiroth asked himself, before the darkness took him.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The helicopter dropped a few yards, causing Genesis to squeal for the third time in the last 10 minutes. Sephiroth couldn't help but roll his eyes, almost ashamed that he would call such a coward one of his best friends. Across from him, Angeal sat with his eyes closed, probably catching what sleep he could. They were returning from an overnight mission on the Wutai continent, and all four of them had just gone thirty six hours without sleep.  
"Man, that mission was great." The newbie unexpectedly offered up in that too cheerful tone that was almost a trademark of his, staring out the window of the helicopter. Sephiroth cast his line of sight over at the kid, studying him. The Silver General wasn't all that impressed with the boy but Angeal spoke highly of him. Sephiroth struggled to remember his name. Jack? Mack? He'd have to try and remember later.  
"We're coming up on some resistance fighters." The Shinra infantryman announced. Why he was here Sephiroth didn't even know. Extra security in the case of hostiles or something like that. And of course it had to be the one annoying runt who was somehow not completely petrified with godlike reverence for the General. Anyone else would have been quieter and much less annoying in deference to the older man's rank.  
Sephiroth poked his head through the door of the cockpit, scanning the horizon for the small collection of whitish dots disrupting the darker blue below them. Having been mostly wiped out in the war with Wutai, those few who remained of the opposition had gone to sea, living in flotillas around the ocean.  
"Ignore them, priority is that we get back to Midgar and report our findings." Sephiroth said, and pulled his head back inside.  
"Sure thing boss man." The pilot smirked, his cocky tone drilling into Sephiroth's core. He bit his tongue and ignored the irritant. Turks always rubbed him the wrong way. Suddenly, the chopper shook, eliciting yet another squeak from Genesis.  
"What now!?" Sephiroth demanded, waking Angeal from his slumber.  
"They're shooting at us." The pilot reported. "I'm taking evasive maneuvers.  
"Don't you dare let them shoot us down Turk! We have orders to report back to The President." Sephiroth managed not to growl.  
"Don't worry." The pilot chirped, his tone as cocky as ever. "No one in all the world can fly quite as good as I can."  
If that's the truth then Gaia help us all, the General sniped sarcastically in his head. Exhaustion was combining with the overconfident bravado of those surrounding him to grate over his already raw nerves.  
Just at that moment, a single bullet grazed the outside of the helicopter. The contact kicked up some sparks and chipped the paint which was supposed to be the best money could buy, courteous of Shrina. The paint ignited, defying conventional logic.  
"What the fu…" The oh-so-expert redhead did not have time to register this development before the entire outer-layer of the chopper was awash in flames. The way the Turk's jaw was now resting in his lap might have been amusing if not for the severity of the situation. The four SOLDIERs in the back were instantly on their feet, stances battle ready.  
"WHAT THE HELL!" Sephiroth flinched as his teeth grinded in tension from having Genesis screeching right in his ear. They were seriously going to do something about the brunette's phobia of flying when they got back to base.  
"Oh shit!" The pilot this time. "We're going down!"  
Everyone froze a beat at that.  
"Stupid Turks!" Sephiroth cursed.  
A second later the world went head-over-heels. Then nothing.

==##==

"And that's one hundred percent completely what happened." Cloud finished, nodding.  
Sephiroth stared at him, unable to move or talk thanks to the head-to-toe wrapping he had received at the hands of the overzealous infantryman. "After we crashed, Zack was the first to wake up. They all went to look for a way out, while they left me here to scrounge around. We thought you were a lost cause, considering the helicopter was a complete wreck. Lucky that you were thrown from it before it exploded."  
Using his tongue Sephiroth managed to open enough of a hole to talk and do other things like take in a deep breath of desperately needed oxygen. "You are by far the worst field medic I've ever come across." He said, managing to keep his voice calm and measured despite the complete and total outrage pressing for release. "In addition to that, that story is obviously complete and total crap!  
"You really expect me to believe that the helicopter was taken down by a single bullet?!"  
"That's how it happened!" Cloud said, tears in his eyes from the harsh insult at his medical skills.  
"And in case you haven't noticed, you haven't bled out yet thanks to my wonderful, Shinra trained, medical skills."  
"Cloud?!" the voice came from nowhere.  
"What was that?" Sephiroth demanded.  
"The radio, duh." Cloud said, standing up and walking over to a pile of supplies obviously salvaged from the wreckage. "Cloud here, what'd you find Zack?"  
"I know it's you silly, we're the only ones on this island after all, who else would it be. Has there been any sign of Sephiroth?" Zack asked over the radio.  
Cloud hit the button to reply, but released it. He looked back over his shoulder at his idol, laying there helpless and in desperate need for his help. What if he told Zack he had found them? Would the team return? What would that do to this rare chance to be alone, one on one with his childhood hero?  
"What are you waiting for?" Sephiroth demanded. "Tell them."  
"Not yet, I'll let you know as soon as I do." Cloud said quickly, putting the radio back down. Sephiroth stared at him in shock for a moment, and then spoke, his voice slightly less measured.  
"What the hell do you mean not yet?! Tell them you found me!" Sephiroth tried to make it sound like a command but somehow the bizarrity of the situation and exhaustion form his injuries were ganging up to deny him the needed energy.  
"I can't, not yet." Cloud replied, his voice uneven. He went on to explain. "I'm your biggest fan, and this is a rare chance for me to show you that. Don't worry General, I'm going to take good care of you."  
Sephiroth stared at the infantryman, starting to see him in a new light. This man was obviously complete and utterly insane. What was worse, due to bandages, he was effectively bound. He was stuck with him until the rest of the squad came back.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF!"

Zack stared at Genesis blankly, wondering just how such a man could become one of the most skilled men in SOLDIER. He had to fight laughter as his superior officer flailed about helplessly through the surprisingly thin foliage, desperately trying to save himself from his horrible fate.

"They're flies, Genesis" Angeal stated, finding even his patience running thinner by the minute. "Just ignore them."

"That's easy for you to say!" Genesis stopped squirming long enough to scream at the obviously unsympathetic members of his group. "You already look like you've been playing in a mako reactor. I still have a chance to be beautiful, but not if these things start laying eggs in my face."

"I'll help!" Reno exclaimed, bursting from the bushes in a fit of suspicious enthusiasm. Pointing his hand at Genesis, flames erupted from his palm, not only dispersing the flies, but also leaving Genesis's face blackened and his hair singed. Everyone went completely silent, as Genesis stood still for a moment, blinking. Then, reaching up with his hand slowly, he felt what was left of his hair.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" Genesis screeched; his pitch higher than any recorded in human history. On it went for a full minute, before Genesis's eyes rolled back into his skull and he fainted, landing with a thud in the thick underbrush.

"Oops?" Reno grinned without so much as a hint of regret.

"Well, at least he'll be easier to manage now." Angeal said simply, then scowled at Reno and pointed at him. "You did it, you carry him, come on Zack."

"What?!" Reno exclaimed, watching as Angeal and a still wincing Zack began to make their way through the dense jungle. "That's not fair! You two are the steroid injected monsters manufactured by Shrina! Oh, come on!"

Finally, defeated, Reno bent down and hefted Genesis onto his shoulder. Sighing at his predicament, he began to make his way to follow the two soldiers. "This bites."

"How exactly is being beautiful relevant to the situation again?" Zack couldn't help the smirk as he listened to the redhead's unhappy grunts of exertion in the background mixed with enough colorful words to make his old drill sergeant blush.

Angeal shrugged. "Maybe he thinks there will be natives he can charm into helping us out of here?"

"Or maybe he hopes the resistant leader is gay, thus giving him a higher survival chance should we get caught."

"I heard that!"

SMACK!

"What?" Reno shrugged at the disapproving glance Angeal tossed him and twirled his trusty EMR back into its hostler on his belt.

"You know he's going to get you for that when he wakes up, right?"

"I could always hit him again…" Reno got in one more smirk before Angeal huffed and turned to continue pushing his way through the jungle.

"You're welcome!" Reno called after the retreating back. "Geez, no appreciation whatsoever." With another huff the much put upon redhead adjusted his burden and took off after the others fast as he could. Would they really blame him if he wished the weight he was currently stuck with really was as dead as the damn saying?

==##==

"I think it's time for you to let me loose." Sephiroth said. His voice was calm, but his struggling against the constricting bandages betrayed him.

"No, you don't have to worry." Cloud said, pasting on a bright attempt at being concerned, trying to reassure the general. "I'm going to take great care of you. You'll see. I'll show you."

Sephiroth's stomach buried itself further in the sand watching Cloud, as he walked over to a collection of coconuts, obviously gathered as resources. Cloud picked one up, and using his Shinra issued sword, sliced a hole in the side of it.

"Are you thirsty?" Cloud asked, walking over to Sephiroth.

"N...mmph!" Sephiroth was cut off as Cloud shoved the nut in his unguarded face. Finally, Cloud pulled the fruit from Sephiroth's mouth, letting the General spit and sputter. "I was going to say no!" he growled.

"Oh, come on sir." Cloud said, throwing the emptied coconut into the ocean. "We need to keep our strength up, especially you with your injuries."

"Enough games!' Sephiroth said, starting to struggle again. "Let me out!"

"Sir, I can't let you do that yet, you're still injured." Cloud tried to reason.  
"Do you have any idea what you're getting yourself into?" Sephiroth threatened.

Cloud opened his mouth to reply, but stopped himself. Sephiroth began to thrash about more violently, desperately trying to free himself. Seeing no other option, Cloud walked over to the coconut pile again and picked another one up.

"I'm doing this in your best interests' sir." Cloud said.

Walking back over to Sephiroth, he took the coconut and swung it, striking the general firmly in the noggin. All Sephiroth could now see was black.


	5. Chapter 4

**And the insanity is back.**

**Chapter 4**

"Oh god, oh god, oh god!" Reno frantically chanted as he ran his skinny ass off charging through the thick forest like the metaphorical bat from hell, the unconscious Genesis still hanging from his shoulder. The thick brush rustled ominously right behind him, something clearly following. He caught sight of a glint of steel up ahead, and doubled his speed, racing towards it.

"Gu...oh wow!" Reno exclaimed, finding himself cut off as he burst into a clearing, a handful of feet in front of him stood Zack and Angeal and beyond them, a burnt out Mako reactor.

"Well, obviously, Shinra knows about this island." Angeal said, Zack nodding in agreement.

"And it explains this guy." Reno, trying not to sound as desperately freaked as his pounding heart suggested, pointed with his thumb over his shoulder.

The two SOLDIERs turned to see what he was talking about. Upon seeing the underbrush part for whatever was now speeding towards them, they both drew their weapons. Reno quickly threw Genesis down into the mud, before taking up a battle position... safely behind the two Soldiers.

"What is that?!" Angeal demanded, getting ready to fight.

"Jungle Book's scaly tree hugger's distant cousin!" Reno squeaked, halfheartedly wielding his cattle prod.

Zack and Angeal tensed, ready to fight, and then... a six foot long snake burst out of the brush. Zack jumped, while Angeal simply let himself loosen up in a giant swipe that cut the thing almost neatly in half from fang to tail. Then, he chuckled impishly.

"_Huge_ snake, eh Reno?" Angeal said, kicking the snake back into the brush.

"That... wasn't the one I saw." Reno piped out desperately.

"What do you me...?" Angeal started, when suddenly a huge, three headed cobra burst out of the brush and snapped up Angeal before dragging him back into the thick jungle.

"Angeal!" Zack exclaimed, pursuing his mentor and the snake.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Reno screamed, wide eyed, as he ran to follow, flailing his cattle prod wildly through the air.

Cloud sat, watching Sephiroth. "What am I going to do? " He wondered to himself, as he shifted uneasily in the sand. It was clear as day that things had gotten way out of control. He just had wanted so badly to show the general what he could do. Show him how much he meant to him. He wanted to be seen as more than just another stupid Shinra employed piece of meat.

Suddenly, the sound of a cracked branch in the jungle off the beach got his attention. Standing up, Cloud looked in the direction the sound had come from. He squinted in an attempt to try and see through the thick brush.

"Zack?" He called out. "Reno?"

"Charge!" came a yell from the jungle.

Cloud stood dumbfounded for a moment as a group of men emerged from the brush, all rushing straight for him. "Shit Rebels!" Cloud thought, looking around for a weapon, his assault rifle long gone in the wreck. Seeing no other alternative, he ran straight over to the coconut pile, and began chucking them at the attackers while yelling like a monkey island demon. The first one flew in a perfect arc, and struck one of the leading men in the head, knocking him unconscious. Still, more came after him.

"Grrr, not enough time." Cloud said to himself. Dropping the coconut in his hand, he rushed over to Sephiroth and hoisted him onto his shoulders, bandages and all. Once he had him securely, he bolted, his aim to outrun the ambushers. However, as he turned to flee, he was met with a rifle butt to the forehead, knocking him down into the sand, and unconscious.

"Well, what do we have here?" The rebel commander asked, looking down at the two unconscious Shinra employees.


End file.
